Kitchener Rangers 2018-19 Season Thread (Part 3)

[bobber]

Watched the game.
Don Mills #4, Mistry, reminds me of Joey G.

I agree nelli. I noticed that right away.The skating style was almost the same.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Hard to believe the size of some of these players. The two under age players were probably the highest skilled. Great hockey to watch. Cherry mentioned line changes on the fly instead of a D going back behind the net to get set. Bunch of talented players coming into the draft when you put it into perpective.

Sounds like a very deep draft from all accounts. Then looking where the Rangers drafting I assume there's not much separation between the players. With no consideration for positional needs, what position do you think the Rangers should draft?
I'm on the side of going with a forward.

 

[EvenSteven]

Sounds like a very deep draft from all accounts. Then looking where the Rangers drafting I assume there's not much separation between the players. With no consideration for positional needs, what position do you think the Rangers should draft?
I'm on the side of going with a forward.

I'm always in favour of taking a forward in the first round.

But we are deep up front and thin on D going into next year. Plus, we need to use our 2nd or 3rd rounder on a goalie to begin the process of developing a future #1.

So this year if we went D, G, F in the first three rounds I wouldn't lose any sleep.

 

[Tim Wallach]

I agree with Even. I harken back to Tom Dunden's quote a few months back where he promised Carolina fans that the team would "never draft another defenceman in the 1st round" as he strongly believes that's where you build excitement with skilled forwards.

I tend to agree, but given that Kitchener could use a D too, I consider it only if it's a game changer. I saw a couple in the OHL Cup. If it's a legit top pairing guy, you consider it, but this is where the scouting staff earns their keep. I'd still lean towards F, D, G in that order.

 

[RangerDanger]

Whether I pick Forward or Defence in the first round of the April, OHL draft may depend upon what we believe we can /have lined up for the June, Import draft. Hopefully the Assistant Coach and Hugg's more recent success will open up some young Swedish Defenders to considering Kitchener.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I agree with Even. I harken back to Tom Dunden's quote a few months back where he promised Carolina fans that the team would "never draft another defenceman in the 1st round" as he strongly believes that's where you build excitement with skilled forwards.

I tend to agree, but given that Kitchener could use a D too, I consider it only if it's a game changer. I saw a couple in the OHL Cup. If it's a legit top pairing guy, you consider it, but this is where the scouting staff earns their keep. I'd still lean towards F, D, G in that order.

For me it depends whose available and who projects to be available in other rounds. Would like one of the big 2 D from Don Mills (not likely to be available), but they also had 2-3 other D that I'd be fairly happy with in either the 2nd or 3rd. Not sure where they are ranked, but I liked Christopolous (D) game and from what I saw of Robinson I think his game has a lot of tools that should project well to being a solid OHL defender.

 

[bobber]

I think the Rangers might take the best player available if there is a real skilled player whether D or forward when their turn comes up. Sometimes there are surprises in the draft where other teams pass on a player that should have been drafted early because it never fit the game plan going forward.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Like Torgo, I suspect the Rangers will take a look at the depth of positional players in this draft. If they sense there will be
a fair number of good defense men in the second and later rounds they may go with a forward in the first...or vice versa.

 

[EvenSteven]

I'm wondering if the Rangers have ever contemplated drafting a player in the 1st round who may be eventually deemed defective.

Kitchener being a "destination" city, there wouldn't be as likely a scenario where a player wouldn't report to Kitchener as say some of the other cities that have had issue with players reporting in the past.

But what if there was a situation where the Rangers did their "homework" and learned that there was a player who fully intended to play in the OHL but publicly played the NCAA card in an effort to be drafted by one particular team?

Would they risk selecting the player in the first round, and hoping either he eventually reports and plays for the Rangers, or, stands firm and forces the Rangers to deal him in September for a package of picks along with being awarded a comp pick next year?

Nobody thought Perfetti would sign in Saginaw. The belief was that they'd have to deal him as a defective player. But they took the risk and it paid off.

Look at Stranges in London. No way should he have slipped to the second round. He's basically said after the draft it was London only from the start. Had the Rangers taken him last year in the 1st round, either he relents and plays here or we deal him to London. Either way, it's a win win situation.

The worst thing that could happen is a Jacob Tortora situation. He goes the NCAA route and we still get a comp pick.

This would also be a good thing to try and do if you knew that the draft a year away was considerably stronger than this year's. This year's 1st rounder at our draft position may not be as good as most of the players in the first round of next year's draft.

 

[Tim Wallach]

For me it depends whose available and who projects to be available in other rounds. Would like one of the big 2 D from Don Mills (not likely to be available), but they also had 2-3 other D that I'd be fairly happy with in either the 2nd or 3rd. Not sure where they are ranked, but I liked Christopolous (D) game and from what I saw of Robinson I think his game has a lot of tools that should project well to being a solid OHL defender.

I loved Paul Christopolous in that game. Such a confident, well-rounded game. Perhaps not the high-end skill that justifies a 13th overall, but wouldn't be a huge reach. Clarke is gone likely 2nd or 3rd overall and Schmidt will go in the top few as well. There's a risk in your first rounder being the third best defender on his midget team, but I think he's can't-miss.

I still love a lot of the forwards that will definitely be available with the 13th pick. It's pretty easy to get a sure-fire guy there. I just hope our scouts are on it.

 

[OhSheila]

I'd love to see us draft size and skill. We need some heavier players.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I just hope our scouts are on it.

Can't remember the scouting staff from the years past but there seems to be some new names on there.
Has Mike Sadler come back to the team or has he always been there, I thought he walked away after a "spat with Spott"?

SCOUTING
Ray Hollowell	Head Scout
Mike Bukator	Director of Prospect Development, Niagara/New York State Scout
Mike Sadler	Consultant and Windsor/Michigan Scout
Tark Bertrand	Northern Ontario Scout
Hugh Craig	Eastern Ontario Scout
Darryl Hollowell	Greater Toronto Area Scout
Kenneth Kerto	GTHL Midget/Free Agent Scout
Ed Roberts	Central and Western USA Scout
Bill Underwood	Eastern USA Scout
Jeremy Browning	USA Scout
Dave Prpich	Consultant
Brodie Barrick	Goaltending Scout

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Tim Wallach]

I should add that I wish I saw more of this year's crop as the little I did see told me there are some potential steals. Just based on last night alone, kids like Gillespie and Romeo from the Red Wings would be great picks that you could potentially get in round 3 or 4. If we're looking for D, just a hunch but with our 2nd round pick, Ranvir Gill is playing in the backyard of our strong (and influential) eastern Ontario scout. Wouldn't be shocked if our eyes are on him.

 

[Tim Wallach]

Can't remember the scouting staff from the years past but there seems to be some new names on there.
Has Mike Sadler come back to the team or has he always been there, I thought he walked away after a "spat with Spott"?

SCOUTING
Ray Hollowell	Head Scout
Mike Bukator	Director of Prospect Development, Niagara/New York State Scout
Mike Sadler	Consultant and Windsor/Michigan Scout
Tark Bertrand	Northern Ontario Scout
Hugh Craig	Eastern Ontario Scout
Darryl Hollowell	Greater Toronto Area Scout
Kenneth Kerto	GTHL Midget/Free Agent Scout
Ed Roberts	Central and Western USA Scout
Bill Underwood	Eastern USA Scout
Jeremy Browning	USA Scout
Dave Prpich	Consultant
Brodie Barrick	Goaltending Scout

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I'm not 100% sure the full story Ward, but I thought Windsor had poached him for a bit after Spott left, but not sure how/why he was lured back.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I'm not 100% sure the full story Ward, but I thought Windsor had poached him for a bit after Spott left, but not sure how/why he was lured back.

Yeah, that's what I recall also!

 

[Tim Wallach]

Oh, and one more post to say that this is a very strong local crop. I would love to see us snag a couple of those kids. The Jr. Rangers have a couple high end forwards and a decent defender or two. Some strong kids on Waterloo and Cambridge as well.

 

[EvenSteven]

Does anybody know the reason why the other underage player in last nights game (Fantelli?), who played with the Red Wings team, either did not apply or was not granted status?

For me, he looked like one of the better players on the ice last night. Certainly he looked able to play in the OHL next year.


That being said, there's a whole lot more to determining how good a player can be at the next level than just this OHL cup tournament. I remember here years ago we selected a player in the second round, either Joe DiBiase or Mike Vaillencourt (my memory is sketchy but I'm sure it was one of the two), who was nowhere near second round talent but because he had a really good OHL cup, we snatched him up in the second round.

 

[EvenSteven]

Oh, and one more post to say that this is a very strong local crop. I would love to see us snag a couple of those kids. The Jr. Rangers have a couple high end forwards and a decent defender or two. Some strong kids on Waterloo and Cambridge as well.

It seems that Rangers historically have been going out of their way to not pick a local player in the first round. I don't know if it's because they feel they don't want to put a hometown boy under the pressure of being a first round pick in his hometown or what.

I know this is not yesterday, but I remember in the 80s when the Rangers took a lot of criticism in the media and around the Aud in selecting Corey Keenan in the first round. We left local boy Kevin Meihm on the board who would've been a star here in Kitchener.

 

[Tim Wallach]

Does anybody know the reason why the other underage player in last nights game (Fantelli?), who played with the Red Wings team, either did not apply or was not granted status?

For me, he looked like one of the better players on the ice last night. Certainly he looked able to play in the OHL next year.

I think it just boils down to the the definition of that word, exceptional. He looks very good yes, and likely wouldn't be out of place in the OHL, but they reserve exceptional status for those who are seen to be beyond elite and unquestionably too good for the level. Wright, who put up 150 points is only the 5th OHLer ever to be granted it and aside from Sean Day, the others were all top picks in the NHL entry draft. So that's the definition of exceptional. Fantilli looks extremely good, but he's also a December birthday, making him at least a calendar year younger than anyone in the league, which is also a major consideration of the committee. The kid is barely 14.

I should also note that rumour is Fantilli wants to go NCAA. So the kid also has to want to be in the OHL to even consider applying for exceptional status.

It seems that Rangers historically have been going out of their way to not pick a local player in the first round. I don't know if it's because they feel they don't want to put a hometown boy under the pressure of being a first round pick in his hometown or what.

I'm not sure. I know there were some hard feelings locally when Spott tried to step in and exert influence over the local minor hockey organizations under the guise of a "partnership" between the Rangers and those programs. It sounded reasonable on paper, but there were some power plays behind the scenes and hurt feelings. When Spott was turned down, I think the organization got its back up with the local scene a bit. I'm not sure if that plays in at all, but I really don't want to see Sikic or Bowman out receiving 1st star honours at the Aud in a visiting jersey.

 

[EvenSteven]

Me either. But we aren't afraid to draft local talent. We have drafted players from Cambridge/Kitchener/Waterloo over the years. Some with good results. Just not in the first round.

If my memory serves, the closest thing to a local boy the Rangers have taken in the first round since the mid-80s were Andrew Taylor from Stratford, and Brent Pederson from Arthur (though he played with the Waterloo Wolves). Neither were high end but decent OHLers.

I remember being excited when we selected Taylor. Based on how his older brothers Tim and Chris performed in this league, we were expecting the same kind of player. Instead, we got much less than that.

 

[bobber]

I think it just boils down to the the definition of that word, exceptional. He looks very good yes, and likely wouldn't be out of place in the OHL, but they reserve exceptional status for those who are seen to be beyond elite and unquestionably too good for the level. Wright, who put up 150 points is only the 5th OHLer ever to be granted it and aside from Sean Day, the others were all top picks in the NHL entry draft. So that's the definition of exceptional. Fantilli looks extremely good, but he's also a December birthday, making him at least a calendar year younger than anyone in the league, which is also a major consideration of the committee. The kid is barely 14.

I should also note that rumour is Fantilli wants to go NCAA. So the kid also has to want to be in the OHL to even consider applying for exceptional status.



I'm not sure. I know there were some hard feelings locally when Spott tried to step in and exert influence over the local minor hockey organizations under the guise of a "partnership" between the Rangers and those programs. It sounded reasonable on paper, but there were some power plays behind the scenes and hurt feelings. When Spott was turned down, I think the organization got its back up with the local scene a bit. I'm not sure if that plays in at all, but I really don't want to see Sikic or Bowman out receiving 1st star honours at the Aud in a visiting jersey.

Tim one analyst or scout last night said Wright wasn't one hundred percent last night as he was on the limp for some reason. He said can you imagine how good he would be totally healthy when he had 3 assists already. I am just amazed at how mature some of those young players sound being interviewed.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

I'd love to see us draft size and skill. We need some heavier players.

If McTavish is still there when the Rangers have their 1st pick, love to see him on the team...big strong C with serious skill sets.

 

[Tim Wallach]

If McTavish is still there when the Rangers have their 1st pick, love to see him on the team...big strong C with serious skill sets.

I'd be shocked if he's there at 13. In fact, I guarantee you he won't be. Sorry.

 

[SYWTom]

If McTavish is still there when the Rangers have their 1st pick, love to see him on the team...big strong C with serious skill sets.

He’s a projected Top 5 pick, some people have him as high as #2.
If he’s there it’ll be the fastest selection in the history of the Rangers

 

[Generalsupdates]

Been to a bunch of Whitby Fury games this year and Dakota Betts is a legit OHL D-man. I could easily see him in the OHL as soon as next year